oil leak = dead alternator
 

hi, some of u probably remember me and my oil leak that took out my alternator. well it's happened again. i was hoping that by some stroke of luck maybe it was a one time thing, but it that didn't happen. now i want to know the best way to fix. i was told that it could be a cam seal leak, or maybe i just need to tighten or replace a gasket. if it's literally a leak. is it possible to simply block or deter the leak from leaking onto the alternator? can a "guard" be installed on top of the alternator?

--please help. remember, the leak is apparently above the alternator and it may not be oil since my oil level doesn't appear to drop.

I had the same problem on my 280ZX. One temporary fix is to take out the alternator and clean it. I took my alt. apart and scrubbed the copper wiring with a tooth brush and then carefully put it back together. Problem solved! But the problem will come back so what you really need to do is located the leak and do what needs to be done.

The only fix is to replace the cam seals. That's most likely the culprit. If you're coming up on your 60k service, then do it all together because it's duplicate labor. Cam seals are only a couple bucks. It's the labor that's expensive.

You sure its not a PS leak? It's a common problem in Z32s.

so a power steering leak messing up the alternator is common???

Yea, the power steering pump is right above the alternator. A leak will drip right down onto the alternator and over time cause it to fail.